Agent: Tiger Woods on track for Hero World Challenge return

Tiger Woods bailed out at the last minute on his first crack at a return from a pair of 2015 back surgeries. Now, as the days tick down to his next potential return date, Woods’ agent insists the 14-time major champion is well on his way back to competition.

After pulling out of the Safeway Open in October, saying his game wasn’t quite ready for public consumption, Woods said he was targeting a return at his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, played December 1-4.

Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent, told ESPN’s Bob Harig that Woods is “getting after it a bit more, continuing to work toward that goal (of returning at Hero) and excited to get back out there and compete, see the guys and be in the locker room instead of being a (Ryder Cup) assistant captain.”

Woods hasn’t teed it up competitively since finishing tied for 10th at the 2015 Wyndham Championship. A pair of back surgeries, including a second microdiscectomy as a follow to a March 2014 procedure, has kept him sidelined in an extended recovery and rehabilitation.

Later in December, Woods will turn 41. While it’s hard to imagine Woods returning to his early 2000s form, the former world No. 1 has been going at it on the range, testing new equipment and preparing for the long process back to competitive relevance.

“The determination is still there,” Steinberg added. “We’ve still got two weeks to go, but he is doing the things necessary to get himself as ready as he can be, but it’s going to be 15 months since the last time he played competitively.”

How much rust Woods will show when he returns is anyone’s guess, including Woods’.

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.